My love of power stations and cooling towers has never been limited to those 'still with us'. Many of this country's most iconic industrial structures have been victims of the wrecking ball over the years, thus wiping once familiar landmarks from our local skylines. Gone. But not forgotten. A brace of cooling towers that fall into this category were visible to anyone whose commute took them on the M1 around Sheffield. The Tinsley Towers were part of Blackburn Meadows Power Station which closed in 1980.
However, as the towers were (at their closest) only 12 metres from the twin deck viaduct that carried the busy motorway, it was thought they would remain. Forever. But we all know what thought did. Power giant EON bought the site (moving away from coal fired to biomass) and (after conferrable strengthening of the adjacent viaduct) on 24 August 2008 at thee o'clock in the morning they blew the 275 feet high icons to smithereens. Though for a short while part of the base of the north tower remained visible - a bitter sweet reminder to Sheffielders of the senseless destruction* of a city institution.
* Discussions had been taking place prior to their downfall to turn the site into a giant art installation and or theme park; EON's men in suits, however, put paid to any such altruistic notions.
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